


Sick Day

by LeChatRouge673



Series: Thea's Song [28]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Origins
Genre: Comfort fic, Modern AU, sick day
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-27
Updated: 2019-07-27
Packaged: 2020-07-23 00:54:37
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,650
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20001295
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LeChatRouge673/pseuds/LeChatRouge673





	Sick Day

“Nate?”

Nathaniel blinked his eyes open slowly, vision adjusting to the dim light of dawn in their bedroom. A glance at his clock told him that it was still half an hour before their alarm was supposed to go off, so if Cataline was already waking him up there was a reason. He rolled over to face his wife, mild concern already sparking his mind back to consciousness. “What’s wrong, Wildflower?”

Her cheeks were flushed but the rest of her face seemed even more pale than usual, and there was the slightest sheen of sweat on her forehead. Violet eyes that usually shone with a sweet attentiveness were now dulled and listless. “I think I might have finally caught the flu that is going around the office,” she answered, the words weighed down by exhaustion. “I don’t think I can go in to work. I don’t even think I should be working from home.”

“Oh, Cat.” He reached out a hand and carefully placed the back of it against her forehead. “You are burning up. There is absolutely no way you are working today. In fact, I would plan on being out the rest of the week. You will need to rest.” Nathaniel rolled out of bed and began digging through his dresser drawers for his own clothes, as well as a set of cotton shorts and a t-shirt for Cat. Eventually she would want to put something on, but not something that would be uncomfortable during the fever spikes.

She nodded weakly, and Nathaniel said a silent prayer of thanks that his wife understood the value of taking the time to heal when she was sick. With a small smile, she accepted the clothes he passed her and slowly managed to slip them on with his help, then lay back down against the pillows. He pressed a kiss to her forehead, then sat back and took her hand in his.

“You keep touching me, you are going to end up sick sooner rather than later,” she protested, but she did not withdraw her hand and instead managed to squeeze his gently.

“I am going to end up sick regardless,” Nathaniel pointed out, leaning down and pressing his lips to the top of her head. “It is worth it to give you a little extra comfort and attention now. In the meantime, what do you need, Wildflower? Can I get you some tea? I am going to run to the store and pick up orange juice and popsicles and stuff to make my famous guaranteed-to-make-you-feel-better chicken noodle soup. I’ll let Dorian know I’ll be starting late today, not that he will be bothered much one way or the other.”

“Tea would be lovely,” she murmured, coughing slightly on the words. “The blend I use when I am sick is on the third shelf, to the left of the ginger tea I use for stomach aches.”

“Honey?”

“Please.” She offered another sweet, though slightly strained, smile. “The wildflower blend, if I have any left. And could you maybe put on one of my sick day movies? I hate to be such a bother, but-”

He cut off her apologies with a single finger to her lips. “Cat, you are absolutely _not_ a bother. You are my wife, and the love of my life, and you are sick. It is in my job description to do absolutely everything in my power to take care of you and help make you feel better. Besides,” he pointed out as he tucked her back in, “You already know you are going to be doing the exact same thing when I inevitably catch it.”

“And I will be happy to do it,” she retorted. “Regardless… thank you, Nate. It is easier to lay back and rest knowing I have you here to take care of me.”

“Always, Wildflower.” Nathaniel leaned down and pressed another kiss to her forehead. “I’ll go make you your tea and get your movie, and I will check on you again before I run to the store. If you think of anything else you need, text me. Don’t even try to call downstairs or get up out of bed.” He stood up and moved towards the door, but a muted call from Cataline made him pause.

“Nate?”

“Yes, Cat?”

She gave him a slightly wry smile.

“Better warn Loghain, too.”

* * *

He had never been a heavy sleeper, even as a child. According to his mother, Loghain had been a restless sleeper even as a baby. Living his childhood through the occupation did little to help, nor did his years as a soldier when he was expected to constantly be on high alert, or his early years as a father when he was always the first to wake up to Anora’s cries in the night. His daughter had, apparently, inherited his restlessness, and Loghain had never missed his parents as much as he had in those first few years as a too-young father when he desperately could have used their advice.

So it was not exactly a surprise to him that he was usually the first one awake, even given his wife’s own tendency to wake up with the sun. He slept far more soundly with her beside him, but old habits died hard. This morning, he was jolted back to consciousness more abruptly than usual by the subtle, almost imperceptible change in Theadosia’s breathing: it was slightly more ragged, just a hint more labored than it should have been.

It was enough.

Moving as slowly as he could, Loghain slipped out of bed. He pulled on a pair of shorts and flannel pajama pants, then stepped softly over to the other side of the bed and approached Theadosia’s bedside table. Nodding a silent apology to Teddy, he retrieved her phone and turned off her alarm. With continued caution, he reached his hand out to hover over her forehead. Just as he suspected, there was a bloom of warmth on her skin.

He crept out of the bedroom and retrieved his own phone from where it has been charging in their home office, and was not at all surprised to see a text waiting for him from Nathaniel.

_N: Fair warning, Cat has finally caught the office plague, which means there is a pretty good chance Thea either already has or will very shortly._

Loghain sighed. He had known this would happen eventually; it was a bad year all around for the flu, and both women had been working themselves ragged to make up for the absences of their employees during the worst of it. Honestly, he was surprised either of them had lasted as long as they had. Or that he and Nathaniel had not caught it yet, though he was sure that was now inevitable.

_L: She is definitely sick. I have turned off her alarm so hopefully I have bought her a couple more hours of rest before she tries to make an escape attempt._

_N: Ha. Good luck. Hopefully she will wear down sooner rather than later. I am going to run to the store anyways to pick up the Sick Day Special. Since Teddy Girl is down for the count too I’ll just double up on everything and drop it off on my way home. I’m making my chicken noodle soup, also, so I’ll drop a batch off once that is done._

_L: Thank you, Nate. I certainly appreciate it and, once she is done grumbling, I know Theadosia will as well._

_N: Of course. Let me know if there is anything else I can do._

_L: Likewise._

Loghain dashed off a quick text to Anora to let her know he would be working from home, then made his way down to the kitchen and set out the things he would need to make Theadosia tea once she woke up. He could have used coffee himself, but he knew that would wake her up faster than anything, and his best option right now was to try to keep her sleeping as long as he could.

His precautions earned him a full two hours before Theadosia finally trudged into their office wearing nothing but a pair of cotton boyshorts, one of his old t-shirts, and a bleary scowl. That in itself was a good sign: she was not even trying to pretend that she would be able to leave the house. Loghain saved his work, then turned to face her.

“Care to explain why my alarm did not go off this morning?” She rasped, her entire body braced against the doorframe.

“You already know the answer to that, Sweetheart.” Loghain stood up and gently detached her from the door, steering her back to the bedroom. “You are sick.”

“I have a bit of a cold,” she countered, dragging her feet. “There is no reason I cannot work from home.”

Loghain sighed, then scooped her up in her arms when she stopped moving altogether. She made a few noises of protest, but did not fight him. He carefully lay her back down in their bed and her head hit the pillow with a soft _thud_. He pulled the blankets back up, then sat down beside her and softly stroked her cheek with his thumb. “You are not working today, Theadosia. Nate brought you juice and popsicles, and he is making soup for Cataline and promised to bring you some. But for now, you are going to rest, and I am going to take care of you. Humor me.”

Theadosia gave him a final token glare before her features smoothed out and she gave a long exhale. “Ok, love. I will rest.”

“That is all I ask, my heart,” he murmured against her hair, pressing a kiss to her forehead before standing back up and moving towards the door. “I love you.”

She was fast asleep before he left the room.


End file.
